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Energy and Commerce Committee vote to repeal the SGR

The American College of Physicians Statement on The House
Energy and Commerce Committee vote to repeal the SGR

Statement attributable to:
Molly Cooke, MD, FACP
President of the American College of Physicians
(ACP)

July 31, 2013

(Washington) The American College of Physicians (ACP) commends
the Energy and Commerce Committee for taking action today to
unanimously approve a bipartisan bill to repeal the flawed Medicare
Sustainable Growth Rate Formula and create positive incentives for
physicians to participate in initiatives to improve the quality and
effectiveness of medical care.

As recommended by ACP, the bill provides five years of stable
and positive fee-for-service updates for all physicians, followed
by a new program that bases the annual updates on physicians'
effectiveness in achieving measurable improvements in care
coordination, patient experience, patient safety, and clinical
outcomes. Equally important, the bill promises to accelerate the
growth of Patient-Centered Medical Homes, an innovative primary
care delivery model that has been shown to improve outcomes and
lower the costs of care for patients across the country.

It also creates strong incentives for physicians to recommend
and participate in a variety of alternative payment models, not
just models like medical homes that have a proven track record but
also other "best practices" that have the potential to improve
quality and lower costs. ACP looks forward to continuing to work
with the House and Senate on a bipartisan basis to get legislation
enacted this year that includes these and other key elements of the
House Energy and Commerce Committee bill, plus additional
improvements needed to accelerate the movement toward high value,
patient-centered health care.

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The American College of Physicians is the
largest medical specialty organization and the second-largest
physician group in the United States. ACP members include 137,000
internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists,
and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists
who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the
diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the
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